Automatically-tripping trolley-pole mechanism.



No. 883,217. f PATENTED MAR. 31, 1908.

T. H. MARS. AUTOMATIGALLY TRIPPING TROLLEY POL MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5,1906.

DJ:A Nanxrs PETERS ca., wAsHmuroN, THE

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. MARS, OF CHICAGO, LLINOIS.

AUTOMATICALLY-TRIPPIN G TROLLEY-POLE MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, THoMAs H. MARS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatically-TrippingTrolley-Pole Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatically tripping trolleypole mechanisms of that character in which the disengagement of thetrolley wheel from the trolley Wire and consequent rising of the trolleypole under its tension spring or springs result in releasing the poleand permitting it to drop.

Among the salient objects of the invention are to provide a constructionin which the main actuating spring of the trolley pole is partiallytensioned during the descent of the trolley pole and serves as a cushionand bui fer to arrest the downward descent of the pole to provide V.insuch a construction an improved leverage mechanism whereby therengagement of the tension links and restoration of the mechanism tonormal working condition is effected by simply pulling the poledownwardly beyond the position in which itis arrested when falling, andthis rengagement is eilected through the medium of improved leveragemechanism which relieves the pole of excessive bending stresses 3 toprovide in such a mechanism improved means for preventing reboundingaction of the pole under the tension of the actuating spring; to providein such a mechanism means operating automatically to release the clutchwhich serves to prevent rebounding when the trolley is restored to itsnormal workingY condition; to provide a mechanism which is positive inits operations throughout 5 to provide a construction which is extremelycompact and susceptible ofbeing applied to trolley poles of conventionalform, and in general to provide a simple and improved mechanism of thecharacter referred to.

To the above ends the invention consists in the :matters hereinafterdescribed, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whichh Figure 1 isa view showing in side elevation the base end of a trolley polemechanism em p Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 5, 1906.

Patented March 31, 1908.

Serial No. 309,964.

bodyng the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view, showing on a larger scalethe parts shown in Fig. 1, intermediate portions of the main spring,pole and tension links being broken out to reduce the size of thefigure.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates as a whole a suitable basecasting provided with a central upright pivot stud 2 upon which isrotatably mounted a turret casting 3. The turret casting is provided atone side with a transverse rib or projection 4, the opposite sides ofwhich are embraced by arms 6, 6, of a main yoke 5, which latter ispivotally secured to the casting by means oi a pivot pin 7 extendedthrough the yoke and interposed projection A. The outer end of the yokeforms a socket 8 within which the base end of the trolley pole,designated as a whole 9, is rigidly seated.

Around the trolley pole, and with one end resting against the end ci thesocket, is arranged a main expansion spring 10; the opposite end ofwhich engages and actuates a collar 11 slidably mounted upon the pole.The collar is provided with diametrically opposite studs 12, and alsowith ear-like extensions 13 at each side. Between each pair of ears 13is journaled an eccentric clutch roller 14 these rollers being providedwith rigid trunnions 15 which extend outwardly through and somewhatbeyond the ears 13 and which are located eccentrically of the centers ofthe respective rollers, as seen clearly in Fig. 1. The rollers formparts of a friction clutch mechanism which will be hereinafter morefully described.

With the studs 12 are connected tension links 16 which extend downwardlyto, and are pivotally connected with, the lower ends of a pair olE triplevers 17. The levers 17 are fulcrumed between their ends on pivot studs18 carried by the upper part of the turret casting, and the lower end ofeach lever 17 is provided with a hook 19 adapted to c0- operate with acorresponding latch 2O pivotally sup orted below the lower end of eachlever and ield yieldably upward by means of a spring 21. The latches 20are pivotally mounted upon a bracket-like extension 22 of the turretcasting; the two latches being desirably rigidly united with each otherby means of a through pin 28 which extends through the bracket and formstheir pivotal support.

The upper end of each lever 17 is connected with the corresponding arm 6of the yoke 5 by means of links 24;, and the connections between saidlinks and the trip levers are slot and-pin connections so as to afford acertain amount of lost motion between the movement of the trolley poleand the trip lever. The swinging ends of the latches 2O extend forwardlyto a point adjacent to the pivoted ends of the corresponding yoke arms,and each yoke arm carries a tappet projection 25, which, when thetrolley pole is elevated to a definite angle, encounter the respectivelatches and force the latter downwardly out of disengagement with thehooked ends of the trip levers 17. The angular position of the tappetprojections is such that when the trolley is engaged with the wire innormal working position the tappets will be in close proximity to thelatches, so that in case the trolley jumps the wire, and the pole rises,a slight further rise will throw off the latches.

ln Fig. 1 the trolley pole is shown as oscil# lated to its uppermostlimit of movement, and in this position it is arrested by means of abuffer projection 26 upon the central portion of the yoke, which bufferencounters a corresponding projection 27 formed upon the front face ofthe turret casting near the upper end of the latter.

Describing now the friction clutch mechanism hereinbefore mentioned,through one of the studs 12 and through a guide projection 28, formed asan integral extension of the ear-like extensions 13, is arranged toslide a shifter 29. To this shifter are pivotally connected twooppositely extending arms 30 carrying at their outer ends strapsprings31 which are rigid with the respective arms and project substantially atright angles thereto. The ends of these arms extend through thetrunnions 15 of the respective eccentric wheels, and the springs areshaped so as to exert a constant tension toward each other or toward thesides of thepole which the eccentric wheels encounter. The upper end ofthe shifter extends through one side of, and terminates within, arectangular frame 32 adjustably and rigidly mounted upon the trolleypole the shifter terminating in a head 33 which acts as a tappet toencounter either the lower wall 34 or the upper wall 35 of the frame 32,as will now be described. The tappet frame is so disposed relatively tothe shifter that when the tappet head 33 engages the lower wall 34 thearms 30 will be inclined downwardly slightly from their pivotal axes,and when the tappet head encounters the upper wall 35 the arms 30 willbe inclined upwardly slightly from their pivotal axis. ln other words,in either position they will be shifted past their dead center asregards the inward thrust of the springs 31 so that they will remain setin the position in which they are left until meehan ically shifted.

The operation of the mechanism as a whole will now be briefly described,as follows: As-y suming the pole to be at its normal angle and thetrolley engaging the wire, the friction clutch will be in position withthe shifter thereof at its uppermost limit, holding the eccentric wheelsout of engagement with the trolley pole and therefore permitting themain spring to operate freely. The end of the slot in the link 24 willin this position not encounter the stud of the trip lever 17. lf, now,the trolley jumps the wire the pole will instantly rise under the actionof thel main spring, and in so doing the tappet projections 25 willencounter the respective latches 20 and release the latter from thecorresponding trip levers 17, whereupon the leverage mechanism willassume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 in which position itwill be noted the trip levers have swung inwardly at their lower endstoward the axis of the trolley pole and the trolley pole buffer hasencountered the stop 27. During the risc from the normal working angleto the position at which the pole is arrested, the relative movement ofthe shifter 29 to the tappet frame 32 has caused the head 33 oftheshifter to encounter the upper wall of said frame and effect thereversal of the friction clutch mechanism, placing it in condition togrip the pole when said clutch mechanism travels upwardly upon the pole.The disengagement of the latches from the trip levers, and the swingingof the links 16 inwardly with said. levers, permit the pole to fall fromits upright position towards the horizontal. As the pole descends, andafter it has passed the normal working angle some distance, the swingingof the links 16 about their pivotal points of connection with the triplevers brings compressing tension upon the main spring so that thefurther descent of the pole is against an increasing tension on saidspring. About the time the pole has arrived at an angle of approximatelytwenty degrees from the horizontal the spring has been compressed tosuch extent that it arrests the pole and tends to cause the latter torebound. During the descent of the pole the friction clutch mechanismwas inoperative for the reason that although the clutch wheels are inengagement with the respective sides of the pole the relative travel ofthe pole through the clutch mechanism was such as to rotate the wheelsin the direction opposite that in which they would grip the pole. Now,however, when the pole tends to rebound, the relative travel of theclutch device and rotation of the wheels is such as to cause the latterto bite against the sides of the pole and thus lock the spring againstexpanding. This obviously prevents the pole from rebounding to anyconsiderable extent. rlhereupon the conductor seizes the cord connectedwith the upper part of the trolley pole and pulls the latter downmanually towards a horizontal position. In so doing he furthercompresses the spring, oscillates the trip lever 17 and restores theminto latched engagement with their corresponding latches 20, and also,by reason of the further travel of the shifter relatively to the tappetframe, reverses the friction clutch mechanism and renders it inoperativeso-as to permit the pole to rise freely. Having thus rengaged thecontrolling mechanism, as soon as he releases the tension on the cordthe pole rises under the tension of the main spring and he adjusts thetrolley to the wire as usual.

While I have shown and described what I deem to be a preferredembodiment of the invention, yet it will be obvious that the detailsthereof may be modified without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a trolley mechanism, the combination with a turret member and apole pivoted thereon to oscillate vertically, oi' a trip lever pivotedbetween its ends on said turret member, a main spring, a part actuatedby said main spring, a link connectingthe s ringactuated part with oneend of the trip ever, a link connecting the other end of said trip leverwith the pole at apoint removed from the pivotal axis of the latter, alatch with which the trip lever is adapted toV engage, and a tappetmember moving with the trolley pole anduadapted to actuate the latch torelease the trip lever.

2. In a trolley mechanism, the combination with a turret member and apole pivoted thereon to oscillate vertically, of a trip lever pivotedbetween its ends on said turret member, a main spring mounted upon thepole and immovably confined at one end by a part of the pole, ashiftable member mounted upon the pole and actuated upon by the oppositeend of said main spring, a link connecting said shiftable member withone end of the trip lever, a second link connecting the other end ofsaid trip lever with the pole at a point between its pivotal axis andthe shiftable member, a latch with which the trip lever is adapted toengage, and a tappet member moving with the trolley pole and adapted toactuate the latch to release the trip lever.

3. In a trolley mechanism, the combination with a turret member and apole pivoted thereon to oscillate vertically, of a trip lever pivotedbetween its ends on said turret member, a main spring, a part shiftablymounted upon said pole and actuated by said main spring, a linkconnecting said shiftable member with one end of the trip lever, a lostmotion link connection connecting the other end of said trip lever withthe pole at a point removed from the pivotal axis of the latter, a latchwith which the trip lever is normally engaged in operation, and a tappetmember moving with the trolley pole and operating to release the latchwhen the pole rises to a predetermined angle.

4. In a trolley mechanism, the combination with a turret member and apole pivoted thereon to oscillate vertically, of a tripping leverpivoted between its ends on said turret member, a main spring mountedupon the pole, a sliding member mounted upon the pole and actuated bysaid main spring, a link connecting the sliding member with one end ofthe trip lever, a second. link connecting the other end of said triplever with the pole, a latch with which the trip lever is normallyengaged, a member moving with the trolley pole and adapted to actuatethe latch to release the trip lever, and a friction clutch mechanismcarried by said shiftable member and operating automatically to lock themain spring against movement during the upward movement of the pole in aposition intermediate its limit of movement.

5. In a trolley mechanism, the combination with a turret member, and apole provided at its lower end with yoke arms pivoted to opposite sidesof said turret member so as to oscillate vertically, of a pair of triplevers pivoted between their ends at opposite sides of said turretmember to move in planes parallel with the plane of movement of thetrolley pole, a main expansion spring mounted upon the lower part of thetrolley pole and having its lower end engaging a ixed part upon saidpole, a shiftable collar mounted upon the pole and engaged by theopposite end of said spring, a pair of tension links connected with theopposite sides of said shiftable member and extending thence to andconnected with the lower ends of the corresponding trip levers, a pairof links connecting the upper ends of the respective trip levers withthe corresponding yoke arms, each of the latter links having aslot-and-pin lost motion connection at one of its ends, a latchmechanism with which the lower end of each trip lever is normallyengaged, and a part or parts moving with the trolley pole arranged toengage and release said latch mechanism when the pole rises to anabnormal angle.

6. In a trolley mechanism, the combination with a turret member, and apole provided at its lower end with yoke arms pivoted to oppositesideslof said turret member so as to oscillate vertically, of a pair oftrip levers pivoted between their ends at opposite sides of said turretmember to move in planes parallel with the plane of movement of thetrolley pole, a main expansion spring mounted upon the lower part of thetrolley pole and having its lower' end engaging a fixed part upon saidpole, a shiftable collar mounted upon the pole and engaged by theopposite end of said spring, a pair of tension links connected with theopposite sides of said shiftable member and extending thence to andconnected with the lower ends of the corresponding trip levers, a pairof links connecting the upper ends of the respective trip levers withthe corresponding yoke arms, each of the latter links having aslot-and-pin lost motion connection at one of its ends, a latchmechanism with which the lower end of each trip lever is normallyengaged, a part or parts mov ing with the trolley pole arranged toengage and release said latch mechanism when the pole rises to anabnormal angle, and an automatically acting friction clutch mechanismcarried by said shiftable member and operating to lock the main springagainst expansion when the trolley pole is arrested by the compressionof the main spring d uring its descent afterA tripping.

7. In a trolley mechanism, the combination with a trolley pole and asuitable support upon which the poleis pivotally mounted, of a mainspring and operative connections whereby the main spring exerts itstension to raise the pole towards the vertical and a friction clutchmechanism operative to lock the main spring and control the rise of thepole, comprising a shiftably mounted member, a support upon which saidmember travels, an eccentric clutch member, a subsidiary shifter adaptedto throw said clutch member into or out of operative condition, and atappet mechanism operating automatically to effect 30 the propermovement of such shifter.

THOMAS H. MARS.

l/Vitnesses:

ALBERT H. GRAVES, EMILIE RosE.

